Sleigh-bell fastener



- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD T. SIMONS, or CAMBRIDGE, OHIO.

SLEIGH-BELL FASTENER.

SPECIPICAI'TON forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,311, dated June 7, 1887.

I Application filed September 10, 1886. Serial No. 213,232. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD T. SrMoNs, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cambridge, in the county of Guernsey and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleigh-Bell Fasteners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a a full, clear, and exact description of the inven tion, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form apart of this specification, and in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of my improved fastener. Fig. 2 is a similar view of another form. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal median section of a portion of a string .of bells, illustrating my fasteners applied. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a narrow metalfaced strap with a bell secured thereto with the improved fastener, and Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing another manner of securing a bell to the fastener.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures.

My invention has relation to sleigh-bell fasteners and to certain improvements in sleighbell straps; and it,consists in the im= proved construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth The object of my invention is to provide a fastener to which sleigh-bells may be readily riveted or screwed,and which can be easily and securely attached to plain straps or metal-faced straps without perforating said straps with holes larger than those ordinarily made for buckle tongues, thus avoiding the necessity of cutting a large hole in the strap, as is required in attaching the old style of bell with its wide log and wire kcy,which key,wearing upon the spot weakened by the hole for the lug, soon severs the strap. Furthermore, this improved fastening is intended to dispense with the extra strap or inside lining generally used to cover the old fasteners, thus discarding the leather loops employed in securing said lining to the bell-strap. 7

Another object accomplished by this inven tion is, that the bell-strap can be made narrower than formerly, thus renderingitless exalso adds strength.

In the accompanying drawings, A repre sents the parallel arched end pieces of the metallic frame which constitutes the fastener; B,

the side pieces which join the opposite ends of the end pieces, and O the middle piece joining the summits of the arched end pieces. From said middle piece upwardly projects a stud, D, which serves as a securer for a bell, E. The bell has a boss formed upon its lower side, through which into the bell is formed a smoothorscrew-threadedperforation,allowing the bell to be riveted or screwed to the fastener, as seen in Fig. 8; or the bell may be provided with a lug upon its lower side, which may be screwed or riveted into a perforation formed in the center of the middle piece of said frame, as seen in Fig. 5.

One form of fastener has a single tongue, F, downwardly projecting from the center of the middle piece, and the other has a similar tongue, G, upwardly projecting'from the center of each of the side pieces. These tongues serve in securing the fasteners to the strap I, which is passed over the side pieces and under the middle pieces, the tongues entering the holes formed for them.

The bell and fastener may be cast together, if desired, though, in point of economy, it is preferable to cast the fastener from malleable iron or some other metal which is not so expensive as bell-meta'l.

The sheet-metal facing-strip J may be secured to the strap in any ordinary manner,or

of a fastener consisting of a frame for attaclr ment to a strap, provided with an upwardlypieces, side pieces, and a middle piece, from projecting stud adapted to be secured in said the under side of which centrally projects a perforation. tongue for securing said fastener to said strap.

3. The combination of a sleigh-bell pro- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as [5 vided with a lug upon its lower side and a my own I have hereunto aflixed my signature frame adapted to be attached to a strap, and in presence of two'witnesses. provided with an aperture in the center of the middle piece of said frame to receive said lug. HOVARD SIMONS' 4. The combination, with a metal-faced strap, of a sleigh-bell connected to a fastener consisting of a frame formed with arched end I \Vitnesscs:

F. B. 1\![ILLIGAN, E. M. Mivrntnws, 

